Surface unit disconnect



y 8, 1965 L. c. HANSON 3,184,580

SURFACE UNIT DISCONNEC'I Filed Aug. 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f7? diz for. lei 0y C Hanson "WWW fitter/g eys May 18, 1965 L. c. HANSON SURFACE UNIT DISCONNECT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10, 1962 United States Patent fice 3,184,580 SURFACE UNIT DISCONNECT Leroy C. Hanson, Elmhurst, 111., assignor to Ferro Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 216,171 1 Claim. (Cl. 219-451) This invention relates to surface unit heating elements in an electric range, and more particularly to a plug-in mounting connector for use with an electric heating coil.

It is desirable that surface unit heating elements used in electric ranges be easily removable from their mountings to allow for cleaning and repairing the elements. Also, these elements should be easy to replace in the range by a housewife having no technical knowledge and without the aid of a serviceman. Further, a plug-in surface unit should require no complicated wiring or channels to guide the wires, but permit a safe, easy and economical means of connecting a surface unit heating coil to the electrical circuit of an electric range.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved plug-in mounting in which a surface type heating element may be easily installed and removed therefrom without the use of tools.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved plug-in mounting for use with a surface type heating element in an electric range having a frictional contact grounding clip for providing a ground circuit.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved plug-in mounting for use with a surface type heating element in an electric range which eliminates complicated channeling for tunneling the terminals of the heating element into the proper position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved plug-in mounting for use with a surface type heating element in an electric range that is not firmly aflixed to the electric range, and will float with the heating element unit.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved plug-in mounting for use with a surface type heating element in an electric range which is part of the wiring harness of the range.

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the invention in its environment with a surface heating element, a support therefor, and an electric range;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the present invention on an enlarged scale including the heating element contacts;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail an embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the 3,184,580 Patented May 18, 1965 invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 best shows the mounting connector indicated generally at 10 in its environment with a heating element 12. The heating element 12 includes a support unit or spider 14 which supports the heating coil 16 on a range surface 18 as is well known in the art. The spider 14 includes a small dog 20 which fits in aperture 22 of the ring 24 and resilient members 26 firmly yet releasably hold the spider 14, and hence the heating coil 16, in place inasmuch as the heating coil is firmly attached to the spider 14 as is well known in the art. Grounding member 28 is electrically connected to the heating coil 16 and is operatively related to mounting connector 10 as will be described in detail hereinafter. As best shown in FIG. 4, male contacts 29 are firmly affixed one to each end of the heating coil.

The mounting connector 10 is fioatingly mounted and is not positively attached to the electric range except by means of wires 30 which are connected to the electrical circuit of the range (not shown). Included in the mounting connector 10 is an insulator block 32 comprising two identical halves 34 and 36. As best shown in FIG. 4 the wires 30 are connected by a screw 38 and nut 40 to a pair of female contacts, one of which is indicated at 42 and both of which are identical. This female contact 42 is mounted in aperture 46 in the insulating block 32. The other female contact is similarly mounted. Ground clip is fastened to the underside of the insulator block by means of screws 52 and nuts 54 which also function to hold the two halves of the insulator block together. The ground clip 50 includes a screw 56 by which the ground clip is electrically connected to the grounding circuit of the electric range.

In operation, the mounting block 10 is factory assembled with the range and wired to Wires 30 of the electrical circuit therein. The female contacts 42 each include a projection 45 which positions them in a slot 47 found in the insulator block. The ground clip 50 is also installed on the insulating block 32 with screws 52 and nuts 54. These elements then form mounting connector 10 which is unattached to the electric range except by the wires 36). To complete the electrical circuit to the heating coil 16, it is then necessary simply to insert the male contacts 29 into the apertures 46 and 48 of the mounting connector and push the mounting connector and the heating element unit 12 together. When the male contacts 29 engage the female contacts 42, the grounding member 28 on the heating coil 16 becomes electrically connected to the ground clip 5% on the insulator block 32. The grounding member 28 is then held in ground clip 50 by means of a resilient portion 51 of member 28 having a protuberance 53 which passes through an engages aperture 55 in grounding clip Sit. The heating element 16 is then placed in the range surface as described hereinabove thereby Supporting the mounting connection in position in the electric range.

When it is desired to remove the heating element unit 12 from the mounting connector 10 it is necessary only to raise the heating element unit 12 from its position in the range surface 18, apply a slight pressure on spring member 51 and gently separate the heating element unit from the mounting connector 10 by pulling them apart.

This permits easy cleaning of the range and simplifies replacement of the heating element 16 should this become necessary.

I claim:

In combination with a surface heating element having a pair of juxtapositioned end portions provided with contacts at the terminal ends thereof, a mounting means comprising: an insulator block having a pair of apertures therein adapted to receive said contacts, second electrical contacts within said block adapted electrically to engage the first mentioned contacts upon insertion of said first mentioned contacts into said apertures, a plate extending between and connected to said end portions, said plate being provided with a resilient catch member having a flat surface area portion and a recurved portion, a latch secured to the insulator block and havin a slot adapted to receive said portions and having a fiat surface area positioned to engage the flat surface of said catch when the first mentioned contacts are inserted in said aperture,

4- said recurved portion extending outwardly of said slot to provide a means for releasing the latch, and a ground connection on the insulator block adapted to be connected to ground, said ground connection being electrically connected to said latch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,015,795 1/62 Meacham 339-91 3,016,444 1/62 Iasionowslri 219-451 3,021,414 2/62 Sand 219451 3,042,785 7/62 Hanson 2l9463 3,116,400 12/63 McOrlly 219-467 FOREIGN PATENTS 715,152 11/41 Germany. 819,115 9/51 Germany.

\ICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner. 

